About Tami
Hello. I’m Tami Irokawa McGonigal, a professionally certified leadership development coach and consultant.
As a former corporate lawyer, a gender and racial minority and a working mother operating in a competitive international environment, I’ve seen it all. The uncertainty of a career change. The need to perform under pressure. Managing difficult relationships. The importance of cross-cultural communication. The challenges of juggling work and home life.
Now I work with ambitious professionals and leaders from diverse backgrounds—from startups to international household names—who operate in a global market, helping them develop their mindset and skills to become more impactful and find their own, unique path to greater fulfilment and results.
Tami proved to be the best coach one could wish for. Having been a lawyer herself, she completely understands the legal culture and its perks and burdens. But what really stands out is her multicultural background, and her ability to listen and to help you achieve what you are looking for.
She is also a fantastic listener and promoter of your best self. I can’t praise her highly enough.
My happy clients
Professionals who work(ed) for these organisations
My approach
RINZEN (凛然) is a traditional Japanese word that describes confidence inspired by knowing and being your best self. It is all about being bold, brave and true to yourself.
Together, we’ll take on a project to discover your RINZEN by building the necessary mindset and skills to identify your authentic leadership style and more sustainable ways of working through coaching and workshops.
Holistic
Your personal and professional life are intertwined. Your emotions, beliefs, and physical health influence your performance at work.
So, rather than focusing solely on your professional goals, I consider all aspects of your life and well-being to help you achieve greater fulfilment, results, and a more sustainable way of working.
Practical
During our coaching sessions, you’ll get space, time, a different perspective and practical support that will not only encourage you to become more curious and reflective but also to take inspired action.
We’ll explore:
Based on the latest research in neuroscience
By showing you how your brain works and how you can rewire it, I help you understand and manage your thoughts, behaviours, and emotions better. This will help you master your challenges and achieve positive change faster and with less overwhelm.
Enriched by multi-cultural experience
My Japanese heritage, cross-cultural exposure and over two decades of experience operating in a competitive global environment leave me in the unique position of someone who has faced and successfully overcome many of the challenges you may currently face. The real-life insights and examples I’ll share with you will give you reassurance and show you effective ways to achieve your goals.
This approach is also reflected in my team coaching that focuses on identifying individual strengths and using each team member’s unique skills, experience and character to achieve a common purpose more effectively.
In my workshops, no experience is ever the same. I bring a lot of positive energy and encourage each participant to be fully present and explore their limits, as I believe that’s the best way to learn.
For a bigger workshop or coaching programmes, I collaborate with other highly experienced professional coaches, consultants, and facilitators.
We asked Tami to design and deliver a year-long tailor-made programme on effective communication for international legal practice with the aim of improving some important skills of our newly qualified in-house lawyers.
Before working with Tami, our lawyers lacked confidence and self-awareness, and their English communication skills weren’t sufficient for an international business. We also were looking to improve their commercial awareness, basic interpersonal skills, and the international mindset required for our line of work.
The results of the programme were apparent, as expected, especially in improving our lawyers’ confidence and mindset. The programme broke down their barrier to take the first step into an international business field and gave them confidence to exert their own potential.
Few years on, our lawyers continue to benefit from the principles they learnt with Tami.
My background at a glance
These days, I live between London and Dubai, together with my Irish husband and our border collie/lab Finn.
After so many years of hectic professional life and parenting, I find a lot of pleasure in seeking adventure in nature and exploring the rich local art and culture of the Middle East and North Africa. I am also a long term aspiring yogi who may one day be able to do a headstand (but am taking my time).
My qualifications
BA Joint Honours Chinese and Management, University of Durham (with a year abroad at Tunghai University, Taiwan)
My happy clients
I came to Tami when I switched jobs and jumped from a role where I was largely able to mind my own business to one where, suddenly, I was pretty much in charge, doing lots of things I’d never done before, including making big decisions and dealing with numerous stakeholders.
The coaching sessions helped me increase self awareness and express things that were an issue for me but seemed too trivial to raise with anyone else.
I found Tami to be very patient and quick to draw out the real issues hiding behind the things I was saying. This programme was an unexpected but much needed bonus.
Coaching services are still not common in Japan. So, when I started my coaching with Tami, I didn’t know what to expect.
I came to her because I was struggling with being confident. Tami made me uncover harmful thinking patterns and definitions of success that weren’t my own but rather originated in the imagery from commercials and magazines.
She helped me realise that one of the causes of my lack of confidence was trying to think and act like other people instead of staying true to myself.
I’ve started coaching with Tami while facing some challenges in my job: uncertainty of my role and organisational changes while at the same time wishing for new development opportunities.
After three sessions with Tami, I’ve gained clarity as to what I was frustrated about and found a way forward, taking responsibility for my life. Tami’s support encouraged me a lot in moving forward and trusting myself.
Tami’s own professional experience is so helpful and adds perspective to some of the challenges that you may be facing and there is nothing better than sharing with someone who has experience in what you may be encountering.
Thank you, Tami, for your coaching, you have helped me grow in confidence and have given me some very helpful tips and tools that I can draw upon at any time.
Interested in working together?
Wondering what coaching can do for you or your team? Would you like me to conduct a workshop for you or your employees, or to deliver a keynote at your event? Please get in touch. I usually respond within 48 hours.
